Carrier distributor for pneumatic-dispatch systems



May 18 1926. 1,585,304 J. G. MACLAREN CARRIER DISTRIBUTOR FOR PNEUMATIC DISPATCH SYSTEMS Original Filed March 26. 1920 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 na -Wax we 6.,11Wwm- May 18 1926. 1,585,304

. J. G. MACLAREN CARRIER DISTRIBUTOR FOR PNEUMATIC DISPATCH SYSTEMS Origihal Filed March 26, 1 20 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Emac Jzma Patented May 18,1926.

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JAMES G. MACLAREN, OF SYRACUSE. NEVJ YORK. ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TO THE LAMSON COMPANY, A CORSPGBJATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

CARRIER DISTRIBUTOR FOB PNEUMATIC-DISEATCH SYSTEMS.

Original application filed March 26, 1920, Serial No. 369.084.

application filed. March 11, 1925.

This invention pertains to conveyor systems and more particularly to apparatus useful in distributing or sorting articles, for example pneumatic dispatch carriers, into dif- 6 ferent classes according to the shapes of their advancing ends or heads the present application being a division of my application, Serial No. 369,084, filed March 26, 1920, renewed March 9, 1925.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate, by way of example, a preferred embodiment of the present invention F 1 is a side elevation of the improved distributing or sorting apparatus;

Fig. 2 is a plan view to larger scale of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary vertical section substantially on the line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4: is a fragmentary vertical section 20 substantially on the line 44 of Fig. and

Figs. 5 and 6 are fragmentary elevations showing details of the carrier engaging elements of the distributor.

Referring to the drawings the numeral 1 designates a tubular or hollow casing having an annular flange 2 at its upper end adapted to receive the lower end of a carrier transmission tube 2.

The casing 1 is provided with lateral discharge openings giving entrance to oifset guides 3 and 4 respectively disposed substantially at right angles to each other and which terminate at their lower ends in tubular portions 5 and 6 respectively. These tubular portions are provided w'th annular flanges 7 and 8 respectively adapted to receive the ends of distributing tubes 9 and 1.0, respectively.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 2 to 6 inclusive, the numeral 11 designates a hollow housing projecting from the casing at at point substantially opposite to the offset guide 4. The numeral 1 indicates a similar hollow housing projecting from the casing 1 at a point substantially opposite to the oilset guide 3.

A lever or cradle member 13 (Fig. 8) is suspended to swing freely upon a transverse Renewed March 9, 1925. Divided and this Serial No. 14,690.

pivot pin 11 at the upper end of the housing 11, the pivot pin f being disposed adjacent to but outside of the path of carriers entering the casing through. tube 2. This lever extends downwardly and substantially parallel to the path of movement of the carriers and in the direction of movement of a car rier, and is furnished with a weight 1 1 at its lower portion which tends to return it to the normal position indicated in full lines in Fig. 3 when swung away from such position. To assist the counterweight in returning the cradle to normal position a tension spring 15 is provided. This spring is secured at one end to a fixed pin projecting from the wall of the housing and at its other end to an arm 16 projecting laterally from the upper en d of the cradle 13.

The. movement of the cradle in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 3 is limited by the engagement of a finger 1'? projecting downwardly from the cradle with an 7 abutment 18 projecting upwardly from the bottom of the housing 11. 1

The lower end of the'cradle lever is pro vided with a substantially horizontal finger or extension 19 rigidly and preferably integrally united to the body of the lever. The upper surface of this finger is provided with a pair of wedge-like upstanding lugs 20 and 21, respectively, these lugs being highest at that edge of the extension 19 which is nearest to the housing 12, and gradually decreasing in height until they merge with the upper surface of the shelf.

A second cradle lever 22 (Fig. 4) is sus pended from a pivotpin 23 in the upper part of the housing 12 arranged similarly to the pivot of lever 13 as respects the carrier path. This lever is also provided with a weight 24 and with a spring 25 engaging an arm 26 projectingfrom the upper end of the cradle. The movement of the cradle in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 4 is limited by engagement of a stop finger 27 projecting from the lower end of the cradle with an abutment 28 projecting up from the floor of the lions 95 ing 12.

The cradle lever 22 is furnished adjacent to its lower end with a substantially horizontal linger or hook 29 rigidly united to the body of the lever and disposed in a plane above that of the finger 19.

The finger 29 extends laterally into the path of the carriers but its upper horizontal surface which constitutes an abutment for engagement with the head of an advancing carrier terminates at such a radial distance from the axis ot the carrier path that it contacts with the carrier head to one side only of the center of the latter. The finger 29 is also so disposed that it lies substantially opposite to the space between the wedge shaped lugs 20 and 21 of cradle lever 19, and at one side of the latter lever, as indicated in Fig. 2. At the opposite side of the lever 19 a boss 30 projects up from tae floor of the housing 12 to a point slightly below the plane of the upper surface of the finger 29.

The weight 24k and spring 25 so increase the inertia of the cradle proper that when a carrier strikes the abutment surface of finger 29 the lever fails to swing out instantaneously and the finger 29 operates much like a fixed stop to initiate lateral discharge of the carrier.

The operation of the appara us is substantially as follows: Referring particularly to Fig. 3, a carrier 31 having plugs 32 projecting from its opposite ends is shown as having entered the casing 1 through the tube 2. The lower plug 32 of the carrier passes between the opposed lugs 20 and 21 and also between the finger 29 and the boss 30 and engages the upper surface of the finger 19. As the point of engagement is otlset laterally from the pivot pin the blow of the carrier causes the carrier to swing out to the position indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3. The combined stopping of forward movement together with the outward swing of finger 19 tips the carrier and causes it to topple to the right as viewed in said figure, its tipping or rotary movement being assisted by the engagement of its head at substantially diametrically opposite points with the finger 29 and the boss 30 which together form a pivotal axis about which it turns. The carrier thus topples out through the open side of the casing into the oliset guide 4, and is thus delivered into the distributing tube 10.

When a carrier 33 having a flat head 3i, as indicated in Fig. 4, enters the casing through the tube 2 its flat head engages the abutment surface of finger 29 and as this surface lies at a level higher than that of the finger 19 the carrier does not immediately engage the latter. At the first" impact of the carrier upon the finger 29 the carrier tends to tip away from the lever due to the eccentricity of the point of contact. This initial tendency to tip is accentuated by the outward swing of the lever 22 which occurs almost immediately and ween the carrier has tipped to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. lits head engages the wedge-l ke lugs 20 and 21 of t lin r 19 which form a pivotal axis as. topples through the lateral discharge opeir ing in casing 1 into the upper part of the offset guide which delivers it into the distrilniting tube 9.

The device tans provided separates can riers having plugged heads ire .1 those having flat heads and delivers them into separate distributing tubes by me a of which they may be carried to v desired points of discharge but it is manifest that one or the other of the crad be ployed alone it desire riers ol a given class "from thci. path 01'? travel.

While l have di -leased one spcci bodiment of my intuition herein, 1 contemplate the possibility o't melting various changes in relative arrangement and propor tion of parts and the substitution of equivalent clements for those herein shown in so far as such changes and substitution 'i'all within the scope oi": the appended chums.

I claim:

1. Distributing apparatus for a pneumatic dispatch system in which carriers of dillerent classes are en'iployed comprising a caring having lateral discharge openings d. posed substantially a quadrant ct are apart about the periphery of the casing, and means for delivering carriers in accordance with their respective classes through the several discharge openings.

2. Distributing apparatus tor a pneumatic dispatch system in which carriers of different classes are employed comprisin: a Casing having spaced lateral dischar openings, a tube communicating wi'h each opening, and means for discharging carriers, in accordance with their respective classes. through the respective openings into said tubes.

3. Distributing apparatus for a conveyor system having means providing a. path for moving articles comprising a plurality of movable abutn'ients spaced longitudinall of said path, said abutments being remo in -intersecting planes and being Pill respectively with articles of different tour and causing the articles with which they engage to diverge laterally from said path.

4. Distributing apparatus for convcvor system having means providing a sul tially vertical path for moving articles comprising a plurality of swinging abutment members disposed at dilierent levels and norn'ially p path th butof difterent contour and causing the articles with which they engage to topple laterally from out said path indifferentdirect-ions.

In combination with a tubi'ilar casing living lateral discharge openings disposed substantially a quadrant of are apart about the circumterence oi the casing, movable abutments disposed respectively substantially opposite to said discharge openings, said abutments being spaced longitudinally of the casing and projecting into the latter to engage the advancing ends of carriers passing thercthrough, the respective abutments being shaped to engage a heads of diil'erent configuration thereby causing said carriers in accordance with their respective kinds to topple out through one or the other of said discharge openings.

6. In combination with a tubular casing having circumferentially spaced lateral discharge openings, levers pivoted at points outside of the path of carriers passing through the casing, said levers being CllS- posed respectively substantially opposite to the respective openings and swlngmg in planes radial of the casing, each lever having an inwardly directed abutment finger near its free extremity.

7. In combination with a tubular casing having circumferentially spaced lateral discharge openings, a lever pivoted at a point substantially diametrally opposite to the upper end of each opening, and a rigid abutment finger projecting radially inward from the lower free extremity of each lever, said fingers being spaced longitudinally of the casing.

8. In combination with a hollow casing having lateral discharge openings, a lever pivoted at a point substantially diametrally opposite to the upper end of each opening, an abutment finger projecting inwardly from the lower end of each finger, a weight tending to hold each lever in normal position, and stop means for limiting the inward swing of: said levers.

9. In combination with a hollow casing provided with alateral discharge opening, a lever pivoted substantially opposite to the upper end of said opening, said lever having an abutment finger adjacent to its lower end projecting into the casing to engage the head of a carrier moving through the latter whereby to arrest the carrier and cause it to topple out through said opening, and spaced members engageable with the head of the falling carrier to provide a pivotal axis about which it may tip.

10. In combination with a casing having lateral discharge openings, a lever pivoted substantially opposite to each of said openings, each lever having an abutment finger projecting into the casing to engage the heads of carriers moving therethrough, the abutment fingers being substantially at right 'iers having angles to one another and spaced longitudinally of the casing, one of said fingers having a pair of spaced, wedge-shaped projections upon its upper surface, and a fixed boss disposed substantially diametrally opposite to but spaced from the other abutment finger.

11. In a carrier distributor, abutments' at diiferent levels movable by carriers engaging them to eject said carriers in different directions according to their classes, and a fixed abutment cooperable with at least one of said movable abutmcnts to assist in ejecting the carriers.

12. Carrier distributing apparatus for a pneumatic dispatch system comprising a cradle suspended to swing from its upper end, and a rigid extension projecting laterally from the lower part of the cradle, said extension normally being disposed in the path of movement of carriers and engageable by the head of a moving carrier, the momentum of the carriers swinging the cradle away from the normal path of the carrier thereby assisting the carrier in tipping laterally from said path.

I3. Distributing apparatus for pneumatic dispatch systems comprising a freely suspended lever weighted to retain it in normal position, said lever having an abutment finger rigidly united thereto near its free end, said abutment projectingtransversely into the path of moving carriers, the lever being at all times free to swing away from he carrier path under impact of a carrier upon the abutment finger, and stop means to limit movement of the lever toward the path of carriers whereby the abutment when in normal position is so disposed as to engage a carrier to one side of the center or the latter.

1a. In combination with a pneumatic dispatch tube having a lateral delivery opening, a lever pivotally mounted outside of the path of carriers moving through the tube but at a point closely adjacent to said path, said lever extending from its pivot point longitudinally of the path of carriers in the direction of movement of a carrier, said lever having a finger rigidly united to it near its free end, said finger extending laterally into the path of a carrier and being normally positioned to engage a carrier at a point to one side of the center of the latter, means to limit movement of the free end of the lever toward the path of carriers, and means yieldingly retaining the lever in normal position.

15. In combination in a conveyor system having means providing a path for moving articles, means for diverting articles laterally from said pat-h comprising a lever free at all times to swing about a fixed axis located outside said path, the lever extendino- "from its pivot point longitudinally of said path in the direction of movement of said articles and having a rigid abutment finger projecting from it near its free end, said finger normally being disposed Within said path to one side of the central axis of the latter, and means yielding opposing movement of the abutment finger from out said path, said finger when struck by the advancing end of a moving article acting momentarily as a pivot about Which the ar- 10 ticle swings laterally out of said path.

Signed by me at Syracuse, New York, this 28th day of February, 1925.

JAhIES G. hIACLAR-EN'. 

